With the release of issue 2 work has began on issue 3 and there has been a massive shake up regarding what I felt was the weakest aspect of the artwork, the characters, primarily their faces seeing as Telikos Protocol was my first experience creating character faces and whilst I felt I have improved significantly regarding characters poses the faces remained an area I wanted to improve upon.

After finishing issue 2 I began working on the new character faces and designs in an attempt to make them more recognisable and unique and going into issue 3 the changes to the characters faces and expressions is instantly visible and a lot better than previous versions.

So here is a piece that was created to show off the characters in their new and improved state, from left to right we have Lily Goldstein, Steve Forrester, Gus Bilderbeck (bit of a dick), and Dr John Santilli. This was shown at the recent MCN comic convention in London and was very well received.

Awesome! This is actually very subtle, so I doubt many people will even notice. What stood out to me was that the characters' bodies appear a bit stunted -- their heads are large compared to the rest of their bodies. This is only if the viewer is expecting the 7.5 or 8-head tall "ideal" often illustrated in human proportions diagrams. Take my feedback with a grain of salt though, because I'm not the best at figures either. xD

I don't comment very often (if at all) so I just want to add that your artwork is spectacular, and I think once you work out the kinks in character drawing you'll have overcome probably the most difficult "hurdle" ahead of you. Don't take this the wrong way though; you're already very good at it.

Is there a version without the chromatic aberration effects on the characters? I don't know if you're trying to hide something with it, but I don't feel like it improves the artwork (granted, I haven't seen it without the effect, so what do I know?). It makes my eyes hurt a little looking at it, and even though it's meant to look more "realistic", it just flattens everything and makes it look less real.

I have had it on a fair few images personalyl I feel it adds a more cinematic feel to it, I have versions without it as its always something thats added at the end but its certainly not for hiding something, what could you hide using it?

Sorry, the first thought that leaps into my head when I see a heavy application of something like that is "they're hiding something," since it effectively blurs the shapes by adding what amounts to noise at the edges. Of course, effectively doubling/tripling any mistakes doesn't exactly hide them, so that was silly of me to say.

I've heard a few artists say that it adds a cinematic feel, but I don't really understand. To me it doesn't look "cinematic," but rather "wow, somebody misaligned the plates big-time." It reads as a defect when it's done so evenly across an image. If you're looking to make your images look more cinematic specifically (versus more realistic), then I recommend only adding noticeable ChrAb in those areas where it's actually likely to happen in-camera:- Bright light and glare from bright light, including sparks and the like- the shorter edges of the image. Imagine a circle centered on the center of your image, or perhaps the focal point of your composition, it should circumscribe the canvas. This is your "lens", and chromatic aberration should be 0 near the middle, and increase towards the edges (IRL this happens due to the lens being unable to focus every wavelength of light the same way, and the differences are more pronounced near the edges where the lens is more distorted).An even effect across the image isn't cinematic, it's something that happens as a result of poor printing of the film copies long after the film-makers have finished with their work on it. It's not something inherently cinematic. The selective aberration I described above is a simplified version of what can and does happen in-camera though, and it occurs in (better-made) films and looks more "natural", at least to me.

Because ChrAb creates a sort of blurring effect, you can use it very effectively to put greater focus on your focal points, by having less of it near them. The imagined lens trick above can make that very easy, without any unnatural-looking shapes in it.

Wow, sorry for that giant blog of text. I hope I'm not coming off like I'm telling you that you have to change the way you apply this effect. I'm just offering the view of one other pair of eyes, that not everyone perceives your particular application of ChrAb the same way you do, and the reasons behind that different perception. If you think that the even field of ChrAb would make your work look more like you want it to look versus my suggestion, then go for it.

Sorry for the very late reply on this, but I thank you for sharing all that info with me and it is indeed very helpful. I have seen many artists use the effect in different ways some like I have as an all over effect and some focusing it on light sources and the outer edges of an image or where blurring occurs. I think after your explanation I will be putting a lot more time into this effect and making sure it doesn't come off as cheap or damaging.

The face of the woman looks great, but to me the faces of the two soldiers in the middle look really off, like they actually were pasted from photos. I think it's mostly due to the lighting which is somewhat different from the costumes, and the position of the face of the heavy gunner looks a little awkward. Faces are a pain in the ass though so I feel you!

since this is photo montage it don't relate well to the costume. It lacks color in the flesh tones. Also on this piece, tonal ranges are lacking.ranges of hues are lacking as well. perhaps taking que from movies might help you. This is what happens when you don't draw a lot. It shows. so do more traditional and it will reflect on your product more. more practice and one day you will be there.

It's not a photo montage, there are photo textures and references use din some parts such as the armours ammo pouches, the floor, and some parts of the weapons mostly the big one. Faces however were sketched from references and then manipulated to change them to how I wanted (still working on drawing faces from scratch but its tough)aside from that there were painted with skin textures overlayed on top to add a bit more roughness. The proportions are right considering the large amount of armour, as for tones and hues it was intended to be this way I don't like over saturated hues and it doesn't fit the style of the series, a lot of it is desaturated.And I draw plenty

DRAWING in terms of organic like humans. saturation doesn't mean OVER as you said. muted color can have saturation as well. it is relative to the context or your world.not enough..the most seasoned artist don't have enough drawing as they all say so you saying plenty is an overstatement. You can never have enough.. DRAWING..

Well Ok it's enough for me, the vast majority of my work is environmental, industrial, and vehicular and rarely involves characters and even less involving faces. I am always learning and compared to what these characters looked like at the start of the project this is better by leaps and bounds I always draw, constantly working out the composition for the next image or sketching designs for vehicles and other tech, it's what I love doing the most and it's what people hire me to do. I will continue to improve my character stuff that's inevitable.